International Football
FRANK LAMPARD WARNS ENGLAND MANAGER, SOUTHGATE; ‘ABRAHAM’S BLESSINGS MAY BE NIGERIA’S’
Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard has admitted he wouldn’t be surprised if in-form Tammy Abraham finds himself at the centre of an international tug-of-war. Nigeria two years ago made an overture to the player and got a passive approval for a switch of national allegiance before Abraham changed his mind.
Now, his club manager, fears ‘Abraham blessings could be Nigeria’s’.
Abraham, who has scored seven goals in his last three games, has already been capped by England at senior level.
But, as his two caps came in friendlies against Germany and Brazil in 2017, he could still switch allegiance to Nigeria and recently admitted he could be tempted by a Super Eagles call-up.
London-born Abraham is eligible for Nigeria through his parents and Lampard says interest from the African nation is inevitable.
‘He has put himself in the bracket for England by being the top scorer at this point so it’s one for Gareth [England manager Gareth Southgate]. I wouldn’t want to step on his toes but it’s clear from what Tammy is doing he will be wanted.’
Abraham, 21, has silenced the early doubts about his Premier League quality with his recent goal spree and is now preparing for his Champions League debut against Valencia tomorrow night.
Lampard added: ‘I never had any clear expectations for him only the fact I believed in him and trusted him.
braham has made a flying start to the season, scoring seven goals in his last three games
‘I know a lot has been made of the ban and giving young players potential opportunities but I felt the time was right for Tammy to have his opportunity at this club anyway because of the quality he has got.
‘I’m really delighted he has got his goals. I think there is more to come. So he is in a good place.
‘He just needs to sustain and improve even more and with his mentality every day and the way he is I hope to see that.’
Chelsea will be without Antonio Rudiger and Emerson for their Group H opener against their Spanish visitors tomorrow night.
Rudiger came off at half-time in his comeback game against Wolves on Saturday after aggravating a groin problem.
He will have a scan this afternoon, with Lampard hoping it is not long-term having only just got the defender back following knee surgery. Left-back Emerson is still sidelined due to a thigh problem.
N’Golo Kante, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James all took part in Chelsea training this morning but remain short of match fitness.
International Football
German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.
The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.
“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.
-Reuters
International Football
Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel
German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.
Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.
PLAYING CAREER
* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.
* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.
* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.
* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.
COACHING CAREER
* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.
* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.
* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.
* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.
* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.
* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.
* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.
* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.
* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.
* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.
* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.
* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.
* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.
* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
-Reuters
International Football
Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
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